NHL Pre-Season Stanley Cup Predictions

On the eve of the 2013 NHL season, the Hockey Fanatic is sharing our pre-season Stanley Cup predictions. We have already stated how we think each conference will shape up and now we predict the order in which the teams will qualify for the NHL playoffs. Remember the days of the 21 team league where the first overall team played the sixteenth place team, second played fifteenth, third played fourteenth and so on? We loved that format, so we though we would identify how we think the NHL teams will finish the regular season from number one to number thirty. The top sixteen teams makes the playoffs with the others becoming also-rans.

2013 NHL Regular Season Predictions

Finish

Team

1

Pittsburgh Penguins

2

New York Rangers

3

Vancouver Canucks

4

St Louis Blues

5

Boston Bruins

6

Philadelphia Flyers

7

Los Angeles Kings

8

Chicago Blackhawks

9

Nashville Predators

10

Washington Capitals

11

San Jose Sharks

12

Ottawa Senators

13

Carolina Hurricanes

14

Detroit Red Wings

15

Tampa Bay Lightning

16

Minnesota Wild

Non-Playoff Teams

17

Edmonton Oilers

18

Phoenix Coyotes

19

Buffalo Sabres

20

New Jersey Devils

21

Winnipeg Jets

22

Anaheim Ducks

23

Colorado Avalanche

24

Montreal Canadiens

25

Florida Panthers

26

Dallas Stars

27

Calgary Flames

28

New York Islanders

29

Toronto Maple Leafs

30

Columbus Blue Jackets

So how will the 16 playoff team fare? Here are our pre-season Stanley Cup predictions.

Finish

Team

1

New York Rangers

2

Vancouver Canucks

3

Pittsburgh Penguins

4

Los Angeles Kings

5

St Louis Blues

6

Boston Bruins

7

Philadelphia Flyers

8

Chicago Blackhawks

9

Nashville Predators

10

Ottawa Senators

11

Minnesota Wild

12

Washington Capitals

13

San Jose Sharks

14

Carolina Hurricanes

15

Detroit Red Wings

16

Tampa Bay Lightning

So it looks like a New York Rangers / Vancouver Canucks rematch from 1994 with the same outcome with the New York Rangers hoisting the Stanley Cup. Hmm not sure about the Canucks, it could be the Blues, Kings or Blackhawks from the West. From the East the Pittsburgh Penguins or Boston Bruins also have a shot. Let’s see how the shortened 48 game regular season pans out.